National Bagel Day is Tuesday: How will you celebrate?

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- After years of sharing the spotlight with National Pizza Day, Jan. 15 has officially been declared the new National Bagel Day.

Thomas' Bagels recently hosted a poll where hundreds of bagel-lovers across the country voted in favor of changing the date of National Bagel Day, which used to take place the same day at National Pizza Day -- Feb. 9.

The new date was registered officially by Thomas' Bagels in Chase’s Calendar of Events -- the nation’s more comprehensive and authoritative reference on special events, holidays, federal and state observances, historic anniversaries and more.

The bagel company partnered with National Today -- a website that shares quirky and fun holidays -- to share five facts about bagels in the United States.

1. More than 354 million bagels were sold in 2018.

The top five most bagel-eating cities, based on grocery store sales, are Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Boston and Baltimore/Washington, D.C.

2. America’s top five bagel flavors.

Plain

Everything

Cinnamon Raisin

Blueberry

Onion

3. Here’s why bagels have a hole.

Bagels have a hole in the center because vendors used to thread the bread onto dowels and hawk them on street corners.

4. It used to take four people to make a bagel.

Bagel-makers used to work in teams of four. Two would make the dough and shape the bagels, one would boil the bagels and one would bake them.

5. The average person eats 11 bagels per year.

While the origin of bagels has been long-debated, most historians agree that bagels originated in Krakow, Poland, in 1610.

National Today also shared activities bagel-lovers can participate in on Tuesday.

Have a bagel at every meal. Take this day as an opportunity to appreciate the versatility of a bagel and try different flavors.

Share the bagel love. Bring bagels to your office, classroom or group of friends. You can also scope out your local bagel shops for deals.

Find the best local bagel. Be adventurous and try new places and bagels.